Innocent bystander Derrion Albert killed

[jojapeach]

Why do things seem out of control to some of us (even early 30s like me)? Too many symptoms, but my top ones are lackadaisacal(sp?) parenting and kids too easily influenced by what they see in the media. The kids play violent video games but fail to separate the game from real life. Songs on the radio and videos on tv like "Girl Fight" glamorizing "swinging them thangs". (Sorry, I couldn't think of anything more current.) Value of life and self are just out of the equation in so many areas of this generation.

I know we had violence when I was a kid because a student in my HS was shot and killed on a rival campus in my sophomore year, but there were probably 2 total murders during my 4 yrs of HS.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by jojapeach

Why do things seem out of control to some of us (even early 30s like me)? Too many symptoms, but my top ones are lackadaisacal(sp?) parenting and kids too easily influenced by what they see in the media. The kids play violent video games but fail to separate the game from real life. Songs on the radio and videos on tv like "Girl Fight" glamorizing "swinging them thangs". (Sorry, I couldn't think of anything more current.) Value of life and self are just out of the equation in so many areas of this generation.

I know we had violence when I was a kid because a student in my HS was shot and killed on a rival campus in my sophomore year, but there were probably 2 total murders during my 4 yrs of HS.

Pretty much sums up my previous argument.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

However, don't you think there are good reasons to dwell on school shootings even though they are rare?

No, dwelling on the acts themselves exaggerates their prevalence.

Observe the potential for such incidents, but dwell on the underlying point of raising children well and giving children and young adults healthy and positive outlets. The same stuff that we should be teaching each generation, anyway. This will buffer the negative effects of the Internet and other intrusive media outlets and social influences.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by jojapeach

Why do things seem out of control to some of us (even early 30s like me)? Too many symptoms, but my top ones are lackadaisacal(sp?) parenting and kids too easily influenced by what they see in the media. The kids play violent video games but fail to separate the game from real life. Songs on the radio and videos on tv like "Girl Fight" glamorizing "swinging them thangs". (Sorry, I couldn't think of anything more current.) Value of life and self are just out of the equation in so many areas of this generation.

I know we had violence when I was a kid because a student in my HS was shot and killed on a rival campus in my sophomore year, but there were probably 2 total murders during my 4 yrs of HS.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

No, dwelling on the acts themselves exaggerates their prevalence.

Observe the potential for such incidents, but dwell on the underlying point of raising children well and giving children and young adults healthy and positive outlets. The same stuff that we should be teaching each generation, anyway. This will buffer the negative effects of the Internet and other intrusive media outlets and social influences.

I actually agree with both of these posts.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by epchick

I agree, and even if the area is left untouched for the Olympics, do you really think the city is gonna use it's revenues to help the South Side? I seriously doubt they would.

Exactly. Although I can look forward to my rent going up if we get the bid, because people will be willing to pay more to live in my (almost completely gentrified) neighborhood. I really feel bad for the older couples on my street that have been here forever. Unless they own their houses (and I'm not sure that they do), the likelihood of their rent raises forcing them out of the houses they've lived in for years and years is great, especially considering that many of them are retired and living on fixed incomes.

I really hope it never happens - they're all so sweet. I can't walk down my street without feeling like my arm is going to fall off from all the waving I do because they call out to you.

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I won't call you a pessiment, because it's likely going to be the case.

All of the development will probably lead to (more) gentrification in the city, pushing the lower-class citizens farther out. I'm willing to bet money, though, that city leaders will use the argument to bring the games to the city.

I worry about the type of turmoil it's going to cause... if we have "neighborhood" fights like this... I don't even want to think about it.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

If the 1996 Summer Olympics can be in ATL then the 2010 Olympics can be in Chicago.

Both are urban centers with booming economies in some regards. Both have a large impoverished population. The government will just cover up the high levels of deprivation for the Olympics and then leave Chicago exactly the way they found it (the money made from the Olympics is just a bandaid on the poverty in these areas).

I think the likelihood that we'll get the bid is pretty good. However, the city's having trouble raising the funds necessary. Mayor Daley is promising that the city can raise it, and it probably will if they do get the bid, but there's also a likelihood that the bill will just be tacked on to our (already rising) taxes.

I got the easy end of the deal, I don't own my house.

Originally Posted by jojapeach

Pretty much. There's been a LOT of gentrification in Atlanta since the '96 Olympics. There's only a handful of housing projects left, but most outlying cities did not experience a great deal of improvement IMO. In the end, a lot of the projects were closed, and a lot of those residents got vouchers to move elsewhere. Clayton Co has gone from a tranquil place I dreamed of living in one day to a place with increasing violence and crime. Thanks, Olympics!

That's what I worry about here.

Oh and the fact that there will basically be a two week period where I won't be able to get to work. Hopefully they finish the upgrades on the L by the time the Olympics roll around (although they've been working on a few particular spots on the blue line for over a year now), and hopefully they can handle the traffic demands, but I'm just really skeptical.

[KSigkid]

Absolutely disgusting. It's pretty terrifying that people are capable of that type of behavior (both the actual beating, and the non-action of the videographer).

[VandalSquirrel]

I know if I watch that video I am going to get sick.

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I heard about this earlier. I don't know why Obama is involved in this (hell, let this be a Michelle project).

Maybe they think the spillover benefits from the games will give the city some money to help those that are struggling? I don't know.

Originally Posted by agzg

I don't think so, but you can call me a pessimist.

In some instances, it's going to push neighborhoods out and into other neighborhoods (when they build the various stadiums/housing for athletes/etc.) and that's going to cause more problems.

This is just my opinion, but these low income neighborhoods aren't going to be lifted up, they're going to be moved over, and then the city will ignore the same people, just in a different geographical area.

The Olympics could be a wonderful opportunity to increase the standard of living for residents of Chicago, but I don't have faith that it will be handled effectively. Sure the Olympic Village Housing could be mandated to become affordable housing after the Olympics, and there could be a program for a certain amount of jobs associated with the Olympics to be filled with displaced workers. However what's going to happen for these people before 2016?

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by agzg

Aren't some of the ingredients in allergy medicines reuseable in crystal meth?

When I was at Target we not only had to check IDs, but we had to scan them as well, when we were selling pretty much anything over the counter but aspirin.

Yup...we had a bad epidemic as people were driving into MD to buy tons of meds to make meth.


But back to the video, my goodness...what is wrong with people today?

When I was a teen, if you got into a fight you got into a fight, you either kicked ass or got it kicked. Nobody ended up dead because of it.

[DrPhil]

"Gang" fights and unruly, rioting crowds have always ended up in people getting killed either intentionally or unintentionally. Always.

[agzg]

Apparently there was another pretty brutal beating in Chicago last night. This time in Edgewater, on the north side.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2...edgewater.html

The kid is still alive, hopefully not suffering lasting brain injury.

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I wanted to kick the asses of all of those ignorant bastards. I imagined myself beating the crap out of the moron who hit Derrion Albert while he was on the ground motionless.

I can understand why innocent bystanders would rather hide (or video tape...assholes) than get involved with the fight. But, I wish someone driving by would've run some sons of bitches over that day.

That's how I felt. Some of those people were just watching and then BAM they're hit with a tie? This video made me sick and so sad.


When it comes to the Olympics thing, it could hurt or help. When Detroit held the Superbowl, people were really skeptical of it because Detroit is such a "dangerous" city. Detroit actually showed its' better colors and promoted part of its tourist attractions. It was a positive effect for Detroit, but that also didn't involve building a stadium and housing for athletes. If anything it pushed the city to finish working on buildings and hotels so it didn't look so run down for our visitors. Maybe it could help Chicago.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by agzg

Apparently there was another pretty brutal beating in Chicago last night. This time in Edgewater, on the north side.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2...edgewater.html

The kid is still alive, hopefully not suffering lasting brain injury.

Ridiculous.

[deepimpact2]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I'm surprised I haven't seen anything on GC about this yet.

I don't know why. Most of the time stories like this don't garner much attention around here.

Thank you for posting it. This is truly a heartbreaking story. I second what Dr. Phil said about the bystanders running some folks over. I understand bystanders not wanting to get involved, but to just watch out of some macabre fascination is certainly not a good thing to do. smh

Brings to mind the "Yummy" Sandifer story.

[agzg]

Update:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/12/09/...ex.html?hpt=T1

(CNN) -- A 15-year-old was convicted in the 2009 beating death of a Chicago honors student that was caught on video, Cook County Circuit Court officials said Thursday.

Jurors deliberated only 30 minutes before convicting the teen of first-degree murder Wednesday in the death of Derrion Albert, CNN affiliate WGN reported. The defendant is not named because he is a juvenile.

Sentencing has been set for January 18, court officials said.

When the verdict was announced, the 15-year-old threw his hands up and fell back into his chair. His aunt ran out of the courtroom screaming, WGN reported.

More at the link.

[agzg]

Another guilty verdict:

A Cook County jury convicted a South Side man Tuesday night in the infamous murder of Derrion Albert, a Fenger High School sophomore whose videotaped fatal beating sparked a national debate on youth violence.

The jury of nine men and three women deliberated for about 3 1/2 hours before finding Silvonus Shannon, 20, guilty of first-degree murder. The verdict was announced in Circuit Judge Nicholas Ford's courtroom at about 9:30 p.m.

The verdict marked the second conviction in the high-profile murder case. Last month a 15-year-old boy was found delinquent in juvenile court. Three other defendants, all charged as adults, are awaiting trial.

Here's the link with more.